Normalization
Normalization is the process of converting electronic records and their metadata into standardized, well-documented formats and structures so they can be reliably preserved, accessed, and migrated over time regardless of the originating system.
Normalization transforms records from proprietary, application-specific, or inconsistent formats into open, stable, and uniform representations suitable for long-term retention. In digital preservation this often means converting files to format-neutral standards (for example, saving an office document as PDF/A or a proprietary image as TIFF) and aligning metadata fields, date formats, and code values to a common schema. It matters because electronic records outlive the software that created them; without normalization, organizations risk format obsolescence, broken renderings, and lost evidentiary value when a system is retired or migrated.
A practical distinction: normalization changes the carrier and representation, not the record’s content or its retention and disposition obligations—the normalized object must remain authentic and complete. Format and metadata standardization aligns with the principle-based, format-neutral direction of modern electronic recordkeeping requirements; NARA revoked its DoD 5015.2 endorsement in 2022 in favor of the Universal Electronic Records Management Requirements developed through the federal FERMI effort. Normalization decisions should be documented to preserve provenance and support future migration.